Can opener



G. CHUN CAN OPENER Sept. 4, 1956 Filed March 4, 1954 III United StatesPatent CAN OPENER Gayne Chun, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ApplicationMarch 4, 1954, Serial No. 414,144

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-61) The present invention relates to a can opener and,more particularly, to a new and improved can opening device formed topierce a preliminary vent in the top of the i can and to shield the ventbefore opening the can.

Although can openers and the like embodying the principles of thepresent invention are devices of general utility, they enjoyparticularly advantageous use in opening cans containing effervescentliquids and semi-liquids or semi-solid liquids and liquids or semi-solidliquids containing gases and the like, suchas carbonated beverages andthe like.

When opening cans containing materials such as those immediatelyhereinabove described, with can openers commonly used and made inaccordance with prior art disclosures, there frequently resulted aspraying or splashing of persons and articles within a relatively largearea about the can. This undesirable spraying Was caused from the escapeof wet gases and the like through the hole cut or punched in the canwithout shielding the hole.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, however, acan opener or the like may be provided with means to shield the firstpunched hole, thereby protecting people and articles in the areasurrounding the can from spray from the can.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide a new and improved can opener so constructed and arranged as topierce a preliminary venting hole in the can and to shield the ventingholev Another distinctive advantage of can openers and the likeembodying the principles of the present invention lies in theconstruction feature whereby, in a single movement of the can opener,the can is opened as by cutting a relatively large aperture in a surfacethereof, and an auxiliary air vent aperture is punched or cut or thelike into the same surface of the can. This advantage and the means forproviding the same result in time and energy savings of considerablevalue since can opening, as the same was conducted with prior art canopeners, required dual actuation of the can opener as by punching onehole at one edge of the can and then removing the can opener to theother side and punching a second hole therein,

thereby extending twice as much energy and twice as much time as wouldbe required to effect a single movement of the can opener.

It is, therefore, another important object of the present invention toprovide a new and improved can opener having means thereon to cut orpunch or the like a principal can opening aperture in the can and meansthereon to punch an auxiliary venting aperture in the can in a singlemotion of the can opener.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved can opening device operable in a single motion thereof tosuccessively cut a gas escape vent aperture therein, cut a principal canopening aperture therein, and cut a secondary venting aperture in saidcan substantially diametrically opposite to the principal openingaperture.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro 2,761,210Patented Sept. 4, 1956 ICC vide a new and improved can opener wherein ahandle or body portion has a cutting blade formed integrally therewithand a vent punching blade formed integrally with the first blade andextending transversely therefrom to intersect the can to be opened priorto intersection of the principal cutting blade with the can, thereby tocut a principal venting aperture in the can and to shield the ventingaperture with the principal cutting blade.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become readily apparent from the following detailed description ofthe principles of the present invention and preferred embodimentsthereof, from the claim, and from the drawings, in which preferredembodiments of the present invention are illustrated and fully andcompletely disclosed by every detail shown on the drawings, in whichlike reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of a can opener and the like embodyingthe principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cutting blade end elevational view of the can opener ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the principal cutting blade and istaken substantially along the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure l in association with acan or the like for opening the same and shows the can opener in apost-cutting position by phantom lines; and

Figure 5 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention.

Can opening, and particularly opening cans containing such elfervescentfluids as beer and the like, and, in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention, is a multistep operation which may be conductedin a single movement of the can opener constructed. in accordance withthe principles of the present invention. One of the important steps inthe can opening operation includes piercing, puncturing or cutting aninitial venting aperture in the can top or lid or cover andshielding theaperture or orifice so made therein to prevent undesirable spraying andthe like from the can, due to the pressurized wet gases within the canand the release of the same. By shielding the initial venting aperture,any spray or foaming over or the like is restricted to relatively easycontrol and undamaging flow in a most desirable manner.

By way of example, and not by way of any limitation, there isillustrated in Figures 1 through 4 a can opener which embodies theprinciples of the present invention and is operable to punch apreliminary or initial venting aperture in a can top and to shield thesame prior to cutting a principal can opening aperture in a can cover,and to cut the principal can opening aperture in the can top or cover.To this end, the can opener 10 of Figures 1 through 4 is of the typewhich may be formed in a punching or stamping operation from anysubstantially rigid material such as a metallic material or the like,and is formed with a body or handle member 11 on one end of which thereis a principal or primary cutting blade 12 and a vent piercing blade 13.The blade 12 is the principal can opening aperture blade, and whenformed integrally with the handle or body member 11, is bent to bepositioned at an angle to the plane of the body or handle member 11 andsubstantially along a line which is sub-- stantially transverse to thelongitudinal axis or center line: of the handle or body member 11.

The details of the contouring configuration of the principal aperturecutting blade 12, as shown in, the drawings, is such that it issubstantially spherically triangular or the like. That is, the blade 12is formed with a pair of cutting edges 14 and 15 which arcuately extendfrom a center line point or vertex 16 to the sides of the body or handlemember 11 andmerge therewith. The

edges 14 and 15 are formed by tapering the side faces 17 and 18,respectively, outwardly thereto from the outer convexly curved face orsurface 19 of the blade 12. The cutting edges 14 and 15 form the outerlimits of an inner or co-ncave curved surface 2%. The curvature of thesurfaces 19 and 20, which surfaces are substantially parallel, is suchthat during a can opening operation the cutting tip or point 16 will bethe first portion of the cutting blade 12 to contact the can top.

The concave curvature !of the under surface or inner surface 20 of theblade 12 is also formed to provide improved shielding effectsagainst'any etfervescence from the venting aperture cut by the piercingor punching blade 13. The initial vent cutting blade 13 is punchedor thelike from a portion'of the blade structure for the blade 12 or is aseparate member secured thereto and specifically to the inner concaveface 20 extending in a direction of the center of curvature for thespherically triangular inner face 20 on. the blade 12.

The blade 13 is effective to break the seal in the can and to be thefirst blade to contact the can and cut or pierce or punch a ventingaperture therein. The blade is preferably formed with an angular headhaving a centered outing vertex 21 and angularly disposed faces 22 and23, each of which has a cutting edge 24 and 25, respectively. Further,the effervescence vent cutting blade 13 is preferably disposed at anacute angle to a plane tangent to the principal cutting blade 12 at theposition of junction between the blades'12 and 13, and the piercingblade 13 is preferably pointed in a forward direction as toward thepoint 16 on the principal cutting blade 12. This disposition of the sealbreaking or effervescence vent punching blade 13 with respect to themain cutting blade 12 results in an important feature of the presentinvention. By this arrangement, can opening with the can opener inaccordance with the procedure described in connection with theillustration of Figure 4, the effervescence or the like aperture punchedin the can lid or top or cover by the blade 13 lies below the solidportion .of the concave face 20 of the blade 12 since the aperture cutby the blade 13 is substantially triangular and pointed in the direction:of the cutting tip 16 of the blade 12. Thus, by this arrangement, theventing aperture is shieldably covered by the blade 12 and thus preventsundesira-bie spray and the like from the contents of the can fromuncontrollably leaving the can.

The can opener 161 is also provided with a hook like fulcrum orpivotmember 26 which may also be punched from the strip of elongated materialforming the can opener, and, in the form shown, is preferably punchedwith the punching of the effervescence vent blade 13. That is, when thehandle or body member 11 and the blade 12, arong with the blade 13, areformed from a single elongated strip of substantially rigid material bysuch an operation as a punch press operation or the like, the pivot orfulcrum hook or the like 26 which is formed to hook onto the head of thecan to be opened for pivoting the can opener thereabout, may also bepunched in that same operation. When so punched, the fulcrum member 26is preferably configurated as shown on Figures 1, 2 and 4 to extend fromthe body or handle member 11 outwardly from the side of the handlemember 11 which is substantially the same side as the concave face sideof the cutting blade 12, and is adjacent to the transverse line of bendfor the blade 12. The fulcrum member 26 is substantially hook shapedand, when punched together With the vent punching blade 13, is providedwith a forked tip 27.

The hook or fulcrum member 26 together with a transverse indentation 28providing a seating recess opposing the hook 26 at the junction shoulderbetween the blade 12 and body member 11, are properly adapted to engagethe bead at the top rim edge of the can which is to be opened to guidethe opener 10 pivotally thereabout.

As will be observed from Figure 4, wherein a can 30 having a top 31joined to the substantially cylindrical sidewalls thereof along a bead32 and the can opener10 are illustrated in solid lines, the can opener10 is in upright position for initiating opening of the can inaccordance with the principles of the present invention. The fulcrummember 26 is hooked over the head 32 which rests in the indentedshoulder 28, so that the vent piercing blade 13 contacts the top 31 ofthe can at its tip 21.

Pivoting the can opener about the bead 32 downward toward the can top 31causes the venting blade 13 to pierce through the top of the can and cutor punch a venting orifice therein which will be shielded by theprincipal can opening aperture cutting'blade 12.

When the differential internal and external pressures of the can havebeen neutralized through the aperture cut by the piercing blade 13,continued downward movement of the blade 12 brings the point 16 thereofinto cutting engagement with the top of the can, and thereafter stillfurther continued movement will cause the cutting edges 14 and 15 of theblade 12 to cut a pouring aperture in the top 31 of the can. The portionof the top which is punched out by the blade 12 will be bent downwardlyinto the can by the blade 12 as it moves into the can. This downwardmovement of the blade 12 and handle or body 11 is continuedsubstantially until the handle or body member 11 approaches close to thecan top on bead. The limit of movement is such that the blade 12 and thepiercing blade 13 are stopped prior to engagement of the piercing blade13 with the side wall of the can. This limit is provided by positioningthe cutting blade 12 and piercing blade 13 with respect to the handle orbody member 11 such that the cutting edge 21 of the piercing blade 13lies behind a plane perpendicular to the general plane of the handle orbody member 11 and includes the pivot axis.

The limited movement of the can opener 14 forming this embodiment of thepresent invention is further provided by stop means on the handle orbody member 11 for engaging the top 31 or head 32 of the can. One formof particularly advantageous stop means also forms a second vent cuttingor piercing means which forms a part of the present invention. Thissecond vent or cutting means is arranged so as to permit and provide fora venting aperture in the can top substantially diametrically oppositeto the principal can opening aperture in the can whereby a pouring ofthe contents of the can from the can may be effected smoothly and evenlyand without air pressure locking of thecontents of the can.

It will be understood, of course, that prior to the present inventionproper opening and venting of the can required double operation of thecan opener to produce both a pouring aperture and a venting aperture.Can openers embodying the principles of the present invention areoperable to cut both of those apertures in a single movement of thecanopener pivoting the same about the bead on the can.

A preferred form of venting means and stop means is illustrated inFigures 1 and 4, wherein there is shown a multiple arm-or lever likemember 35 pivotally secured to the body orhandle section 11 of the canopener 10, as by a pivot rivet 36 or the like. The member 35 ispositioned adjacent to the under surface of the handle member 11, whichsurface corresponds to the outer surface 19 of the blade 12, to pivot ina plane parallel therewith, and may be formed from the same material orsubstantially the same material as the material from which the remainderof the can opener 10 is formed and may be formed in a stamping orpunching operation. Further, the pivot rivet or the like 36 is disposedpreferably toward the extremity of the handle portion 11 of the canopener, as at 37.

The auxiliary vent punch member 35 is preferably provided with apair ofarms 38 and32, or more arms if so desired, which arms are of unequallength haviugdownturned end portions 40 and 4L respectively, which arealso of unequal length, and which terminate in punch blades or the like42 and 43, respectively.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the downturnedend portion 40 carrying the punch blade tip 42 is shorter than theportion 41 and is the terminal portion of the arm 38 which is preferablyshorter than the arm 39. The longer downturned portion 41 carrying thepunch blade 43 is preferably provided with a shoulder or the like 44-44adjacent to the punch blade 43.

When opening a can or the like with this can opener embodying theprinciples of the present invention, the relative diameter of the can isfirst determined thereby to select the auxiliary vent punch carrying armwhich terminates at a proper distance from the principal cutting blade12 for proper venting of the can. As it is illustrated in Figure 4, byphantom lines, for the ordinary can con taining such efferverscencefluids as beer and the like the shorter arm 38 is the proper stop andauxiliary vent punch blade carrying arm. Now, when opening the can 30,as the handle member 11 approaches the rim bead 32 the vent punchingblade 42 will intersect the can top 31, and continued downward movementwill permit that blade to pierce the can top and descend downwardlythereinto until the under surface of the arm 38 contacts the rim bead 32and thereby stops further movement of the can opener 10.

If a substantially smaller or considerably larger can is to be opened bythe can opener 10, then the arm 39 carrying the auxiliary vent punchingblade 43 will come into play. For a shorter diameter can, the member 35may be rotated 180 degrees from the position shown therefor in Figures 1and 4, while for larger cans, the auxiliary vent punch carrying and stopmember 35 may be left in the position shown. Then, as the handle or bodymember 11 descends to approach the can top the vent punching blade 43will intersect the can top and punch an auxiliary vent aperture ororifice therein. The motion of the can opener will then be stopped bythe shoulders 44- 44 which provide convenient stop means, and in thecase of larger cans, stop the motion of the can opener prior to anycontact with the can top by the vent punching blade 42 on the shorterarm 38.

From the foregoing, it will be readily observed that by the principlesof the present invention I have provided a very economical andconvenient and eflicient can opening means operable to, first, equalizethe pressure in the can with the outside atmosphere, second, cut aprincipal can opening aperture in the can, and, third, cut an air inletaperture in the can substantially diametrically opposite to theprincipal can opening aperture.

It will be readily observed that numerous variations and modificationsand different embodiments of the present invention may be developed andconstructed without departing from the true spirit and scope of thenovel concepts and principles of my invention. One such modificationforming another preferred embodiment of my invention is illustratedisometrically in Figure 5 wherein a can opener 40 is shown with a handleor body member 41' formed from a substantially rigid preferablypunchable or stampable material such as heavy gauge sheet metal or thelike. At one end of the handle or body member 41 a principal can openingblade 42' is formed thereon as by punching or stamping or the like, tohave a substantially spherically triangular configuration terminating ina cutting edge apex 43' on the under or concave surface 44'. The sides45' of the cutting blade 44 preferably taper toward the outer convexsurface of the blade 42' thereby to provide cutting edges 46 and 47 onthe under concave surface 44'. An etfervescence or pressure equalizingpunch blade 48 which is preferably substantially the same as blade 13 ofthe can opener 10 is formed to extend from a concave surface 44 and ispreferably disposed with respect to the blade 42' in the mannerdescribed for the blade 13 with respect to the blade 12 of the canopener 10 whereby the aperture cut in the can top by the blade 48 willbe shielded by the concave surface 44 of the blade 42'.

In addition, a fulcrum or head engaging pivot member 49 is punched fromthe blade and handle of the can opener 40 on a face thereofcorresponding to the face from which the elfervescence punch 48 extendsand is adapted and arranged to engage the rim bead of the can to beopened and thus to provide a pivot for the can opener 40'. It will alsobe observed that the fulcrum or pivot rim. bead engaging member 49 andthe vent punch blade 48 may be punched out in a single operation thusproviding the punch blade 48 with a substantially triangular head andproviding the fulcrum member 49 with a forked or tined appearance.

Since numerous other modifications and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the novel concepts of theprinciples of my invention, I intend to cover all such modifications andvariations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the novelconcepts and the principles of my invention.

1 claim as my invention:

A can opener operable to pierce an etfervescence vent in a can coverprior to cutting a principal aperture in the can cover and to shield thevent with the blade for cutting the principal aperture prior to cuttingthe principal aperture, comprising an elongated body member ofsubstantially rigid material, an end of said body member formed as acutting blade and disposed at an angle to the remainder of the member, acan bead engaging fulcrum member formed integrally with said body as aportion thereof and projecting from a side of said body member with itsfree end disposed as the vertex of said angle, and a vent piercing bladeformed integrally with said body as a portion thereof and projectingfrom the same side of said cutting blade, said fulcrum member and saidpiercing blade being formed from a single punching and having conjointlypunched ends whereby the piercing blade has a pointed end and thefulcrum member has a forked end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,996,550 Sampson et al. Apr. 2, 1935 2,122,830 Acker July 5, 19382,195,253 Meier et a1. Mar. 26, 1940 2,232,123 Luppert Feb. 18, 19412,559,560 Larson July 3, 1951 2,621,402 Gutekunst Dec. 16, 1952

